Crawling vs. Sitting/Standing/Walking

IBackBevo · February 2013

So LO is not really into crawling or attempting to crawl. When we put him on his stomach for tummy time, some of the time he just rolls over on to his back again. Sometimes he will move his lower body in a circle around his head. In other words, he never moves forward or backward...just in a circle. Other times he will either fall asleep or have a holy meltdown.

However, he can sit up and stand for brief periods of time on his own. If I let him hold on to my fingers for balance, he can stand for a long period of time. I posted a picture of him standing last night on facebook and my Mother freaked out telling me that this is not good for him, he is too young and he needs to learn to crawl before he stands/walks, etc. I've looked into the concept briefly on the internet, and overall most sources say they do need to crawl, but if they stand/walk first that it isn't a big deal. Other sources say crawling is optional altogether and some babies don't do it at all.

Honestly, I don't know what more my Mother really wants me to do anyway because I try to get him to crawl, by helping him move his arms/legs and giving him plenty of tummy time, putting toys in front of him he can move toward, etc.

Has anyone else heard that babies absolutely "need" to crawl before they stand?

itsmevkb · February 2013

I've always heard that some babies skip crawling altogether and it's fine. Not sure why they would need to learn to crawl. If they can figure out walking I'm guessing they will also figure out crawling when they need to.

Since I have an 19 month old who still prefers crawling to walking I'd love, love, love a baby who skipped over crawling.

lovebug33 · February 2013

There is a school of thought in academic circles that if children don't crawl they will have problems with eye hand coordination and reading later in life. I don't think any of that has been proven, though. I've never seen as an educator a child that has difficulties reading actually have never crawled.

TJ1979 · February 2013

E is the exact same way. No interest in crawling, but already cruising along furniture or in her crib. I think it's perfectly fine. She will crawl if and when she wants or needs to. If that's after she walks, so be it.

Saraevh · February 2013

Everyone in my family told me I never crawled ... not once ... and my parents have pictures to prove it. I started walking at 9 months and never looked back. I turned out alright.

One of my best friends has a boy the exact same age as my daughter (literally, they were born on the same day/same hospital ... crazy) and her son also walked at 9 months and never looked back. He is a perfectly fine 2 year old!

DS started crawling at 6.5 months and he stands all of the time hanging onto stuff (he's 8 months now). I'm not at all worried about him.

Tell your mom to relax

ELF4321 · February 2013

Your LO is very young to be worried about crawling. The average time a baby figures it out is about 8-9 months, and it's usually all of a sudden they get an interest and start getting up on all fours. Then after practicing that for a week or two, they start rocking back and forth on all fours, then trying to move their hands, then they're off and crawling.

That said, DD didn't even start getting up on all fours until 8 months and still hasnt' figured out how to crawl forwards, but she can push off with her hands and slide backwards all over the place. Between that and rolling, I honestly don't think she's going to bother trying to figure out how to crawl forwards because she doesn't need to - she can already get to stuff she wants to get to. She is also starting to get good at standing and showing an interest in doing that more.

I also had a niece who never crawled -- she learned how to scoot herself around on her butt while sitting up and could get all over the room that way. She went from that to walking without crawling.

I told our pedi at DD's 9m appointment this week that I thought she was going to skip crawling and he wasn't concerned at all since she is showing an interest in getting around and exploring. I wouldn't worry about it (especially not this early!)

amandaleigh1 · February 2013

I wouldn't worry about it, just let him do what he likes. I think it is pretty funny that DS doesn't really like to sit but he is trying like all get out to crawl. I know he will sit someday. If your LO decides to skip crawling, that is all fine too.

Dragonfly1226 · February 2013

That is totally not true! Some babies never crawl. As long as he has opportunities to practice during tummy time I think you're fine. DS was much more interested in standing than in being on the ground. He did army crawl for a while and eventually he did crawl, but he loved standing too. It's silly not to practice standing until LO can crawl, especially if he enjoys being on his feet.

Ruthie04 · February 2013

It's been a long time since I wrote a service plan for a baby and an even longer time since my grad school development classes, but I'm thinking crawling should come much later...like 7-8+ months. I know I didn't do it until around 9-10 mos. and didn't walk until after my first bday. The big milestones for 5-6 months are sitting unassisted and rolling from back to belly (I think...going off of memory!). The big thing with crawling/ being on their tummies is cognitive development. They say it is so important for babies to spend time on their tummies and some prefer that babies crawl before walking because of this. But, plenty of babies walk without really crawling. I don't blame them. Crawling hurts my knees .

FWIW, DS1 is in PT for torticollis, so our PT has us doing tons of tummy time for his neck. Sometimes he rolls and sometimes he puts his arms out straight (like a T or a V), which the PT says is the beginning of him wanting to be up on straight arms. She seems to think he is ahead of the game in this and our LOs are only a bit younger than yours, so I would think your little guy is doing great! Also, didn't you deal with an IUGR dx and a slightly early delivery? We did too, so the PT always takes that into consideration when discussing developmental milestones.

Mrs.AmyDylan · February 2013

My DH never crawled. My MIL jokes that he was too fat to crawl! I did learn recently that she also thinks the hardwood floors in their house at the time made it too slippery. He walked at 9mo. There was nothing wrong with him at the time, and nothing wrong now. In fact, I find him very sexy

IBackBevo · February 2013

Ruthie04:
Also, didn't you deal with an IUGR dx and a slightly early delivery? We did too, so the PT always takes that into consideration when discussing developmental milestones.

Yes! Our pedi(s) never considers this.

Ruthie04 · February 2013

IBackBevo:
Ruthie04:
Also, didn't you deal with an IUGR dx and a slightly early delivery? We did too, so the PT always takes that into consideration when discussing developmental milestones.
Yes! Our pedi(s) never considers this.

Oh no!! Our pediatrician is really great about setting realistic weight/ height/ developmental goals for our little guys based on their adjusted age and birth weights. It's been a big help in easing my FTM anxiety! Your LO sounds on track for actual age, so I think you must be doing a great job .

diana.filipi · February 2013

If your kiddo walks first it won't be the end of the world! DD barely crawled. She crawled and cruised the very same day at 6 1/2 months. She woke in the morning and could crawl and woke from her nap and pulled up and began cruising. That was one of the most stressful days EVER! She was never all that great a crawler but was running and climbing well before 1. She was a full time walker by 9 1/2 months. DS on the other hand is about to be 1 and isn't even really showing signs of wanting to walk yet. He is a speed demon crawler.

There is possibly some truth to it being 'best' for them to crawl first though. There has been a tiny bit of research into hand/eye coordination and near sight focus (which they practice greatly from the crawling position) and handwriting (since it was an easy thing to use for the research).

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